Those using the Rent-A-Site model - What about Google Places?

Just to add and do a quick double post

If you target clients for your rent-a-site model that do not have much of a web presence at all...then you have a VERY WARM prospect to do a complete build out of business directory services, maybe their own brandable web page (separate from your rent-a-site page, which you control and has the specific purpose of lead generation), etc.

Sign em up and sub it out....

Thanks very much for that.

I just don't understand the last portion, could you please explain again. The part regarding if I want a residual income business for myself then do the rent-a-site and if I want a recurring revenue marketing business that helps clients, then do GP. Are you saying that the rent-a-site model doesn't provide proper leads, like the GP does?

I would really love to include GP in the package, as then it would be capturing as much leads as possible. But the issues have unfortunately been outlined as per above.

In regards to the citations, yes they would be manufactured by me. But the reviews, well, I wouldn't put any! Seeing as the top spots in the local markets I am targetting tend to have unclaimed places listings with no reviews anyway. So by making one or claiming one and optimising it, I would imagine I can get into the first page quite easily!

1) You must create a new gmail account for each listing.

2) To the OP - If you wish to branch into Google Places services, I'd also package Yahoo Local, and Bing Business Portal (beta) and make it a 'Local Search Domination Package'.

If you charge $50 a month for the lead generation site, charge $100 for the whole package for example.

You can offer upsells too. For example, they are sold on the Local Search Domination Package, now you talk to them about the importance of photo's and video for their business listings. Charge 'em for the photo's and video creation, then charge 'em 'hosting' for the video or 'monthly maintenance'. Whatever you wish to call it. An extra $15 a month or something.

The upsells and value added packages you can put together are endless. Let's jump to the part where you actually lose a local business customer as several have expressed concern there:

You could put in your contract that all video and photo's are the property of xyz companty (you) and remove them. Yes, you would have to surrender the listing to the company as you technically never had any right to it.

Big deal. How much have you lost? It takes a few hours to do all three listings.

Let's look at it from another angle though -

Small businesses don't stop marketing if they get even ONE customer a month except for pretty unusual situations. If you have a well ranked review site, and have optimized Google local, Yahoo, and Bing for them and they are still NOT getting any customers each month, I'd offer to keep them listed and on the review site for free for a few months. Maybe move them down a few spots or something though.

If it's because their business is seasonal like so many contracting jobs are, I'd even consider offering them as a value added feature that they never pay for November - February each year. That's four free months, or looked at another way, a 33% discount. Instead of charging 'em $50 a month the other 8 months, charge 'em $75 though.

Did you just do that math? Both equals $600 yearly, but the customer thinks you rock 'cause you understand the pressures they are under in the off months.

Anyhow, get creative and see what their needs are. That's how you keep customers for life.

What about those who know you have to give up the local listings and are actually making money, but just want to get out from paying you monthly?

It might happen. Some day. So?

Would you want to give up an otherwise successful business model 'cause the occasional asshat comes along? That's like not selling an IM product 'cause the return rate is 5%.

IMHO, people spend WAY too much time worrying about being screwed over. Most folks (especially face to face as offline marketing is) do the right thing.

I'm not suggesting you take on a website that would take 40 hours time to build with no down payment from the client, but presumably you're charging a few bucks to get the local listings complete, and a monthly fee thereafter. You're not out anything if they 'quit' so put that out of your mind as for every one that does, you've still got 50 happily paying you every month.

PS I just noticed you're an Aussie. Aussie's are good people! If somebody screws you - Practice yelling my favorite AU curse at 'em! May your chooks grow to be emu's, and kick your dunnie down!